Non-Surgical Alternatives to Lower Body Contouring

24 September 2016

Dr. Nidal (Nick) Masri

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A lower body lift can produce extremely dramatic results, but only for those who are willing to go under the knife and endure weeks of recovery.

But if you are on the other side of the fence, there is no need to fret as there are several non-surgical alternatives that will give you some of the benefits of lower body contouring, particularly when it comes to skin tightening and eliminating stubborn fat pockets. Most of these treatments can be done in accredited plastic surgery and dermatology clinics all over Miami, so you have plenty of options to choose from.

However, you need to manage your expectations, as the results will not be as strong as the ones you will get from a surgical lower body lift.

The following are the minimally invasive procedures that you can undergo in lieu of a traditional lower body lift.

Lipomassage

Also known as Endermologie, lipomassage is the first cellulite treatment approved by the American Food and Drug Administration. It is a patented slimming technology that makes use of a small tool to break down fats, stimulate the production of collagen that improves skin elasticity, and help the body naturally drain accumulated fluids.

During the treatment, you will be wearing a specialized body stocking while the therapist uses a hand held massaging device on your problem areas. Each treatment lasts for about 35 to 45 minutes. You will also need to undergo multiple treatments of about six to 10 times—usually one to two sessions per week—to notice the difference. The results last for a few months.

Light treatments

Light treatments administer heat on the deep layer of the skin in order to break apart fat deposits. Your plastic surgeon uses a small handheld device that emits laser, infrared, or LED light over the affected areas, hence liquefying fat cells over multiple sessions.

Since these treatments target the skin’s deep layers, no damage is visible on the epidermis. However, your body’s natural healing response causes collagen changes in the skin, resulting in skin tightening.

Though light treatments help eliminate stubborn fat deposits and tighten sagging skin, its results are generally more subtle than what you get from a liposuction or lower body lift. These results are visible immediately, but may become more evident in two to three months. They might last for about six months as new collagen is formed.

Ultrasound cavitation

Just like light treatments, ultrasound cavitation tries to eliminate stubborn fat deposits without disturbing the epidermis, but only with the use of specific sound wave frequencies rather than light.

Your cosmetic surgeon applies an ultrasound gel on your skin. A smooth handpiece is also placed on the skin and an image of the tissue beneath is projected on the screen for the convenience of the surgeon. The ultrasound emits thermal bursts in order to stimulate deep structural support layers of the skin without disturbing the surface of the skin. Collagen growth is also stimulated, leading to a gradual lift and tightening of the skin.

Botox and dermal fillers

Contrary to what most people think, these two non-invasive techniques are not just used on the face, but also on small areas of the lower body, where there is the presence of sagging skin or folds.

Botox is a pretty popular procedure that helps remove wrinkles temporarily by paralyzing certain muscles and preventing them from contracting, while dermal fillers are soft tissue fillers injected to the plump up the skin and help fill in facial wrinkles. Both of these procedures result in a smoother appearance of the skin.

For Botox, the results typically last from three to six months. Dermal fillers generally last longer as their effects can extend up to as much as 18 months.

Fat-dissolving injections

Still in their development stage, fat-dissolving injections involve the introduction of special chemicals into the fat cells in order to help dissolve them. Each injection contains synthetic versions of natural substances in the body that melt and damage fat cell membranes. Once these fat cells are damaged, they are expelled from the body, thereby reducing the amount of fat that has accumulated in the treated area.

Fat-dissolving injections are increasingly being used in areas that are hard to target with regular diet and exercise, as well as other fat reduction treatments. These areas include the waist, thighs, hips, arms, and neck.

Laser skin resurfacing

Laser skin resurfacing works more for damaged skin rather than excess sagging skin or fat deposits, but the end result is still a tighter, younger-looking skin surface. It makes use of a precise laser to remove dead skin cells layer by layer, thereby reducing the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, scars, and other skin irregularities.

Though it is often used on the face, it can also be performed on small areas of the body that have problematic skin. Your surgeon will administer a local anesthetic to numb the areas to be treated. Afterward, a bandage will be applied on the treated areas and ointments will be applied several times a day to prevent the formation of scabs. Treatment usually takes around 30 to 45 minutes.

Topical creams and lotions

For those who simply do not want to spend a fortune on surgical and non-surgical forms of lower body lifts, then you may want to invest on topical creams and lotions that promise to improve skin elasticity and firmness if applied on your lower body. They contain ingredients that help your skin look and feel younger. Some of them even claim to reduce the appearance of cellulite.

However, the results take a long while to show up and they are temporary. If you have large folds of excess skin, you most likely need more than a topical treatment to correct them.

If you are thinking of getting any of these non-surgical lower body contouring alternatives, do not hesitate to talk to a board-certified surgeon regarding your concerns. You may Schedule a Free Consultation with one of Face + Body Cosmetic Surgery’s highly competent plastic surgeons in Miami. They will answer any questions that you may have and help you determine which type of non-surgical lower body lift is right for your needs.